Spending money in Europe

[ajohn]

Check you bank details. Various companies started providing a card where people could transfer money in and spend what ever currency they wanted to. Cash could be transferred into it via a phone app.

So banks started allowing people to spend euro on their usual card. It might just be checkout type payments and not cash out of an ATM. The details should clear that up.

 

[motorbiking]

Plenty of credit cards offering good FX rates. I tend to use Apple Pay. Some countries like cash and others like cards. Its just culture. Having visited France at the weekend by sailing boat, the process was rather amusing.

Form to leave.
Q flag on arrival
trip to the local police station.
Passport stamped in . - "Can I stamp out as leaving early in the morning?" Non
Back again that night to stamp out and submit a leaving form - why didn't you stamp out this morning if you are leaving so soon?
12 miles out, phone border force - "the line is very bad!", "yes I know, I'm on a boat and you asked me to phone at the 12 mile point"
another form.

pretty straight forward.

Still at least in France - they have police stations open 24/7

 

[Lower]

Thanks, that's right, but do you think it's better to select £ or €?

Its almost always better to choose to pay in the local currency because the retailer is allowed to set the exchange rate they give you if you pay in pounds.

 

[ajohn]

The one we used a few years ago was this one

Monzo | Your New Favourite Bank

Organise, save & invest with a free UK current account, joint account or business account. Make your money more Monzo.

monzo.com

Seems to have advanced a bit now with banking services. No charges and good exchange rates but looks like there are charges now

Newer one with interest on saving accounts - pass on anything else it offers

Home

Effortlessly manage your spending, savings and investments – all through the Chase app.

www.chase.co.uk

 

[fixitflav]

Thanks for all the comments - appreciated

 

[Mottie]

The one we used a few years ago was this one

Monzo | Your New Favourite Bank

Organise, save & invest with a free UK current account, joint account or business account. Make your money more Monzo.

monzo.com

Seems to have advanced a bit now with banking services. No charges and good exchange rates but looks like there are charges now

Newer one with interest on saving accounts - pass on anything else it offers

Home

Effortlessly manage your spending, savings and investments – all through the Chase app.

www.chase.co.uk

I have both those cards. Been using Monzo abroad for a few years. Only just opened a Chase account so not really used it anywhere although I will be paying for our hotel and all other spending in Jersey next month as it gives cashback.

 

[ellal]

Always purchase in local currency.

And better still is to have a bank account in a Euroland country...

Especially if it has a good wedge of Euros in it, bought at pre brexit rates

 

[Mottie]

Always purchase in local currency.

And better still is to have a bank account in a Euroland country...

Especially if it has a good wedge of Euros in it, bought at pre brexit rates

I take it you were on the 6-2 shift at the care home today? Anyway, congrats, you nearly made a whole post without mentioning Brexit but fell at the second from last fence.

I'm actually hoping for the Euro to do better than the pound. Well, only on July 8th as that is when we finalise the sale of our villa. The better the Euro v the pound, the more we get! Come on the Euro!

 

[ellal]

I take it you were on the 6-2 shift at the care home today? Anyway, congrats, you nearly made a whole post without mentioning Brexit but fell at the second from last fence.

You on the other hand never take a break from being the creepy stalking forum troll...

Get some help immediately!

I'm actually hoping for the Euro to do better than the pound. Well, only on July 8th as that is when we finalise the sale of our villa. The better the Euro v the pound, the more we get! Come on the Euro!

Well that makes you the UK hater!

But Spain will no doubt be rejoicing seeing the back of you

 

[fixitflav]

Its almost always better to choose to pay in the local currency because the retailer is allowed to set the exchange rate they give you if you pay in pounds.

Yes, I'm fairly sure that's what I've done. I was remembering wrong in my original post.